The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 354

on a weary life, profoundly dissatisfied with what they are in themselves and what they are accomplishing, and yet allowing themselves to continue in their guilty course? 'l'he path of sin is a very pitiable one; it is no wonder- Ill. THAT IT 0ALLB DOWN A STRONG DIVINE REPROACH, (Ver. 11.) God reproaches his erring children: 1. That they have given themselves up to that which is utterly unworthy ol' their devotion: "Whom bast thou feared?" 2. That they have neglected the strong claims he has on their worship and service-be who has laid them under such deep obligations and has held out to them such glorious prospects; "Hast not remembered me." Nor must it be forgotten- lV. THAT GoD'S SILENCE, AS WELL AS HIS SPEECH, IS AN ARGUMENT FOR RETURN. "Have not I held my peace ... and thou fearest me not?" 1. God's silence is strangely and grievously misinterpreted (Ps. l. 21). 2. Instead of making it an encouragement to sin,,it ought to be employed as an opportunity for repentance. It is a Divine pause, in order that, while it lasts, the guilty may reconsider and return. 3. God's silence is temporary; it is imposed on himself by a strong and merciful restraint. But it cannot be very long continued; the interests of righteousness demand that it shall be broken. Let not the impenitent presume- " For tbo' mercy be kind and its patience endure, To the pe.th of repentance it seeks to allure, .And they who are deaf to its voice may be B1llf' 'fhat God will not always be silent. Oh, Time brings the hour-we shall soon all be there-- When the Judge on his judgment-tbrone shall appear, And his sentence of mercy or wrath shall declare, .And then will no longer be silent." 0. Vera. 12, 13.-The fate of folly and the reward of wisdom. The Divine One whom Israel bas so grievously wronged (vers. 4-9) intimates (ver. 12) that he will make known to bis people the results of their apostasy from him ; be will tell them "ho,;\ unprofitable are their works," bow suicidal is their policy; he will tell them also how great is the reward of the wise-of those who abide in his service. I. THE BITTER FATE OF THE UNGODLY. Departing from God, they have no resort but that which they find in their own poor divinities, in those "heaps of idols" whose power is blown away with the first breath of adversity; they may cry to these wretched images, but they will meet with no response. This will prove the portion of the ungodly in every age : the powers to which, in God's absence, they have recourse will fail thom utterly in their time of need; they may be numerous, they may be "companies," they me.y be highly esteemed, but they will certainly fail when the hour of trial arrives. Worldly wealth, a great reputation, troops of friends, high social position, vaiied attain- ments, strength of bodily constHution,-any one or all of these, or other resources besides these, may be possessed, but they will ignominiously fail in the hour of supreme necessity; they will not, for they cannot, deliver a human soul in its deepest troubles, in its darkest hours; they will be as impotent as "the chaff which the wind driveth away." "Vain things for safety" are they all. The soul of man bas wants which strike deeper and which rise higher than any of them can reach. II. TEE BLESSED HERITAGE OF THE GODLY. "He that putteth his trust in me sl1all possess the land." To him may come, will come, hours of darkness, of loss, of trial ; but he has a stay and a resource in God his Father, in Jesus Christ bis unfailing Friend, which will make him blessed at every point of bis pilgrimage, in every stage of bis career. For him will be: 1. The rest of heart which comes with a consciousness of spiritnal integrity. 2. Growth in all that is good and wise. 3. The happiness of heart which is found in the worship of God: "He she.II inherit my holy mountain." 4. The joy of saored service, of rendering succour, of imparting strength to the weak and comfort to the sad, of rescuing and reinstating the fallen and despairing. 6. The hope of the heavenly inberitance.-C. Vera. 16, 16.-The greatness of God and the hope of the humble. The prophet presents us with a most noble contrast as he draws for us the surpassing greatneu 806 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [oH. tvn. 1-21.